Why Megan Is Missing's Barrel Scene Left Viewers 'Traumatized'

Women and girls being kidnapped by sinister and dangerous men have become a staple of the horror, thriller, and suspense genres. However, the way that movies like "Megan is Missing" explore the abduction and exploitation of teenage girls is chilling in a way that few films can match.

As the name suggests, "Megan is Missing" is about the abduction of Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn) and the subsequent investigation and disappearance of her best friend, Amy Herman (Amber Perkins). While the story's intense and delicate subject matter is already disturbing, it's the brutal ending that viewers will be stuck with long after the credits roll.

In the final scene of "Megan is Missing," Josh (Dean Waite) sexually assaults Amy before telling her she can go home. However, he stipulates Amy must leave in a plastic barrel to conceal his whereabouts. Horrifically, when Amber opens the barrel, she finds Megan's rotting corpse. To make matters much worse, her terror is only beginning.

As if this reveal wasn't troubling enough, Josh forces Amy into the barrel before burying her alive. While horror movies are known to let the villain win from time to time, "Megan is Missing" is an especially gruesome example, made all the more palpable by its nature as a found footage film.

Audiences were understandably traumatized by the film's conclusion, sharing their thoughts in a YouTube comments section. "What chills and scares me most in a movie, more than any monster or explicit gore, is screaming," wrote user @darkprose. "You can almost hear the moment her mind was lost forever."

The user suggests that the thought of the mental anguish Amy endures at the end of "Megan is Missing" is more terrifying than being murdered in such an awful fashion, and it's a sentiment others seem to share. "When she was about to get buried, she seemed so calm and defeated," wrote @Mizuki_Fortnite. 'I love you, Josh, please don't do this.' She seemed like all hope was lost." 

While few of us, if any, can recall experiencing such a harrowing moment, it's certainly true that Amy's begging makes the ending far more haunting. "This might be the most disturbing ending to any film I've ever seen," wrote @alexthomas962. Judging by the reactions to "Megan is Missing," many would agree.

"Megan is Missing" is said to be inspired by real-life cases, and if there's any true crime story that's incredibly close to the film's events, it would be the one of Ashley Pond and Miranda Diane Gaddis. Pond was discovered in a plastic barrel in friend Mallori Weaver's yard. During the investigation, Gaddis' body was also found on the property, with Mallori's father, Ward Weaver II, thought to be the culprit. Ward was convicted of the crimes, but what led to them is perhaps even more disturbing.

The girls regularly had sleepovers at the Weaver house, which is likely why Ward selected them as his victims. Pond even stayed with the Weavers during a two-week period, where she was sexually assaulted by Ward, who had a history of sexual assault but was still able to commit these heinous actions years later. Pond and Gaddis were only 12. While stories like "Megan is Missing" help show how dangerous the world can be for children, real-life cases like this one are sickening reminders that reality can be just as bad or worse than fiction.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.